Beachside
by AllAboutBenson
Summary: Alex takes Olivia, her best friend, away for a weekend at the beach. Is this beginning of a lifelong romance, or the beginning of the end of their friendship?
1. Chapter 1

Olivia locked her apartment door behind her, set her stuff down on the table and walked into her kitchen. She opened her fridge, popped the top off a cold beer, and kicked off her shoes. She thought about how awful the week had been, and then scolded herself for thinking about work. She had made herself a promise to have a work free weekend. She needed it. After grabbing a bag of chips from the cabinet, she walked through the living room and plopped down onto the couch. She flipped through channels on the TV until she eventually settled on the Yankee's game. Sipping her beer and munching on chips, Olivia was almost relaxed when she heard her phone buzzing on the table. _Nope_ , she thought, _I'm not answering it_. She turned the TV up to drown out the phone. A few minutes later she heard the buzzing again. _Jeez, can't I get a night to myself?_ Reluctantly, she got up and grabbed her phone, checking the missed call log to see who it was. _Crap, it was Alex._ Olivia dialed a familiar number.

"Detective Benson! Sorry to bother you, but I have a proposition," Alex declared. Olivia couldn't help but smile. Alex was her best friend, so she could excuse the interruption of her evening.

"And what might that be, Counsellor?" she inquired. _Don't flirt,_ Olivia reminded herself, _Alex is just your friend._ Olivia sighed quietly. _If only…_

"Well, Detective, it's the weekend, and you're off of work for two days, according to Captain Cragen," she began, "and I was wondering if you wanted to accompany me to my beach house?" On the other end of the phone, Alex was crossing her fingers that the brunette would agree.

"Cabot, a beach house?" Olivia clarified. _When did Alex acquire a beach house? Exactly how wealthy was this woman anyway?_

"Is that a yes?" Alex implored, "it's in the Hampton's, so we'd have to leave within an hour if we want to make it before dark." Olivia scrambled off of the couch and sprinted into her bedroom.

"Yes, that's a yes. But Alex, when did you get a beach house?" she asked.

"I've always had it. I try not to broadcast my personal life at work because my financial status has nothing to do with the success of my career, and I don't want people to judge me by my wealth instead of my character and talent," Alex explained.

"Counsellor, none of us think that you got to where you are because of your bank account. You got there because you're the best ADA we know. You work hard, you're dedicated, and you're stu…" Olivia caught herself. _You're stunningly beautiful._ "You're stubbornly determined sometimes." Alex blushed at the compliment.

"Stop flattering me and start packing, Detective. I'll pick you up in an hour?" she confirmed. Olivia was throwing clothes into her duffle bag, trying to recall what exactly women in the Hampton's wore.

"I'll see you then," she agreed, and hung up. Olivia opened her closet and selected a navy blue dress, one she'd purchased for formal NYPD events but had yet to wear. Formal, but sexy, she noted. _Benson, stop thinking like that! Alex is straight._ She also pulled out a two piece bikini, in the event they ended up at the beach. After tossing a few more things into her bag, Olivia caught sight of her nightstand drawer. _NO, Benson, don't even think about it!_ Olivia's face flushed at her rather carnal thoughts about the blonde ADA. A knock on the door drew Olivia back to reality, and she hurriedly hid the phallic accessory with belt-like rigging under the clothes in her bag. _In my dreams. Doesn't hurt to dream, right?_

"Coming, one second!" she called. She zipped up her bag and threw it over her shoulder. She shuffled down the hall and opened the door.

"Hey Liv! Ready to go?" Alex asked. Olivia looked the woman up and down, speechless. Alex had selected a white and teal lace sundress, which perfectly complimented her lovely blue eyes. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a low messy bun, to allow her straw sun hat to sit comfortably on her head. Her sunglasses were resting on the top of her dress, pulling the fabric down just enough to reveal a little more cleavage than Olivia was used to seeing from the ADA's usual pant suits and buttoned blouses. _Wow, she looks incredible._ Noting the slow verbal response from the Detective, Alex caught the look Olivia was giving her.

"Like what you see, Benson?" she mused, proud that her strategic choice of outfit hadn't gone unnoticed. It was the first step in her clever plan. She was almost positive that Olivia was as interested in her as she was in the brunette, but she knew Olivia was too respectful to cross that line without invitation. While Alex had always been attracted to the Detective, until this weekend, she had never imagined that their friendship could be more than that. For years, the two women had been close friends. They flirted relentlessly, but both had assumed it was all in good fun, until Alex had spotted Olivia across from her at a known lesbian bar in the city. She had ducked out of the club before Olivia saw her. After, she asked around, and discovered that Olivia was indeed a lesbian, and had even dated a mutual friend of theirs a while back. Ever since then, Alex had been wondering if their friendship had the potential to be something else. This weekend, she was determined to find out.

"I just finished packing!" Olivia fumbled, trying to hide the pink of her cheeks, "I'm ready when you are!" She flashed the blonde a nervous smile. Alex held the door as Olivia proceeded out of her apartment, her bag in tow. Once inside the elevator, both of them remained quiet as Alex silently celebrated her small victory in flustering the normally calm and composed brunette. When they stepped out onto the sidewalk, Olivia almost choked in shock as Alex popped open the truck of the car; a fully restored black '66 Mustang convertible, top down.

"Alex, whose car is this?! It's gorgeous!" Olivia exclaimed. _Just like you._

"Would you be surprised if I told you it was mine?" she countered.

"Alex, this is your car?" Olivia asked, still floored that the ADA had such a magnificent vintage vehicle. Alex abruptly tossed her the keys, and climbed into the passenger seat. Olivia blinked at the keys in her hand, waiting for this dream to be over any second now.

"Be honored, Benson, I only let the women I really like drive it," she flirted, winking at the stunned brunette. "But if you can't drive a stick, you can enjoy the ride shotgun,' she challenged. Olivia skipped around the car and slid into the driver's seat, glancing over at Alex, who was grinning ear to ear. "So I take it you like it?"

"Alex, this car is incredible. How come you never told me about it? Or the beach house?" Olivia questioned.

"That would have ruined this surprise weekend, wouldn't it?" she kidded. Olivia started the engine, amused by the blonde's jovial demeanor. "One problem, Lex. I have no idea where we're going," she remarked.

"No worries, I'm an excellent copilot," Alex assured. Olivia pulled onto the road, and was amazed at how smoothly the car drove. _I could get used to all of this._

A few hours later, they were well on their way to the beach house. Alex had settled on an oldies radio station, 'because it complimented the car,' and she and Olivia took turns serenading each other over the faint humming of the engine. Occasionally, Olivia would catch Alex out of the corner of her eye, her hair blowing in the wind, dancing along to the upbeat tunes. _She has never been more beautiful then she is right now. She looks perfect._ Olivia continued to play Alex's statement over and over again in her head. _'I only l let the women I really like drive the car.' What did Alex mean by that?_ Alex's sudden laughing pulled Olivia back from her daydream. "Liv, what are you thinking about?" Alex chortled, "You just drove right past my road!" Alex kept laughing, amused by the flush of color spreading across the Detective's face.

"Sorry Lex, I was lost in my own thoughts about how gorgeous these houses are!" Olivia recovered, slowing down to turn the car around.

"Uh huh, sure,' Alex teased. She turned towards her side of the road, and pointed to the first house on her road. "See that grey house? That's Uncle Bill's summer house. It was the first Cabot home built here." As they made their way down the long winding sandy road, Alex continued the personal tour. "The light blue house there, that's my Mother's. It's a little too modern for my taste," she informed Olivia, who was attentively listening as Alex spoke. "And that one," she pointed as they pulled up to a quaint, cozy beach cottage, "that is mine. It's much smaller than the others, but I don't find thirteen bedroom houses to be relaxing, so I built mine to be comfortable and welcoming."

"Alex, it's perfect! You designed this?" Olivia complimented. _I am more and more amazed by this woman with every hour that passes._

"Yes, I mean I had help, but the layout was my idea. Care to see the rest?" she offered.

"Lead the way, Counsellor." Olivia smiled.

"Please, Liv, out here it's just Alex," she requested. Olivia smiled at the wonderful woman, and nodded. She grabbed their bags from the truck and followed Alex into the house. Benson dropped the bags down in the front hall, and took in the view before her. The kitchen and living room were surrounded by floor to ceiling glass doors, allowing for a full panoramic view of the beach. "There's more, follow me," Alex said. She led the brunette up the spiral staircase into the loft upstairs, which opened up to a master bedroom. The bay window in the front framed a built in reading nook, and beach wood side tables perfectly accented the white, weathered brass bed. The master bathroom consisted of a vintage claw foot bathtub and a double shower lined with sea glass tile. Olivia was beyond impressed.

"This place is incredible!" she confirmed. "I would never want to leave if this were mine!" Alex glowed, elated that the Detective was pleased.

"Thank you! I'm glad you approve. I haven't had many guests here at all, so I haven't had the chance to get an honest opinion on it. You're actually the only person who isn't family, who's been here," Alex shyly confessed. It wasn't that she didn't have friends, she just preferred to keep some things about her life to herself; her sexuality, her wealth, and her special place- the cottage.

"Well, I'm honored to be the first official guest! Alex, this place is amazing!" Olivia said, looking out the window at the beach below. Alex saw the expression on the Detectives face, and had an idea.

"Instead of having dinner right away, why don't we venture down to the beach and see how the water is? Then I can make dinner, and we can relax on the deck!" Alex tried to hide her excitement, but Olivia had already noticed how eager the ADA was to get down to the water.

"That sounds great! I'll go change and meet you on the deck," Olivia told her. As she passed the blonde on her way to the stairs, she paused, and turned towards her. "Alex, seriously, thank you for bringing me here. I needed a weekend like this." She smiled at blonde for a moment, and then left her upstairs while she went to get their bags. When Olivia was gone, Alex melted a little. The brunette really seemed to like the cottage, and this was making Alex extremely happy. She didn't want this to be the only time that Olivia stayed here with her. Lost in her own thoughts, she hadn't realized that Olivia had returned with their bags.

"Hey, I brought your bag up for you. I'm going to go change!" Olivia declared, as she pulled some clothes from her bag and stepped in to the bathroom. Alex quickly changed in the bedroom, and headed downstairs to the deck. She'd selected a tasteful but sightly revealing bikini to wear, and hoped that Olivia would approve. It was purple with pink polka dots with white trim, and it framed her body like it was made just for her. She leaned forward against the deck railing and closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation of the beach breeze against her skin.

"Wow," Olivia said as she stepped out of the sliding glass door, "Nice choice, Alex," she said. Alex turned around, startled by the woman's quiet approach, and was rendered speechless by the sight before her. Olivia had on a solid black bikini that barely covered her breasts, and showed off her spectacular ass. Not much was left for the imagination, and Alex certainly wasn't complaining. She had always known the Detective was strong, but she had never imagined the woman would be so toned, with rock solid abs. It was evident that Olivia had also gone tanning recently. She immediately felt her face turn to red as she realized she'd been caught checking her out for the second time that day.

"Like what you see, Alex?" Olivia mused, mimicking the blonde's antics from earlier. Olivia laughed as she grabbed a towel from the railing. "Well, are you coming or not?" she asked. Alex followed suit, still flustered, and shuffled down the stairs to the warm sandy beach. Olivia had already picked out a spot for them, and was laying her towel down when Alex caught up. Alex did the same, and then sat down on her towel.

"You're not coming in the water with me?" Olivia complained at the sight of the blonde sitting down.

"Of course I am, I just need to apply some SPF first. Unlike some people," she noted, "I do not tan, I burn." She shot the brunette Detective a look, and Olivia laughed.

"For your information, I burn too, that's why I go tanning. Ghostly white abs aren't a good look for me," she stated, catching the flush on the blonde's face.

"I could do this faster if you helped me get my back," Alex informed her, as she stood up and handed Olivia the bottle of sunblock. She turned, her back towards Olivia, and lifted her hair. Olivia put a dollop of the lotion into her hands and rubbed them together before she rubbed it into Alex's back. Delighted by the gentle massage, Alex let a little moan escape. Olivia smiled and rubbed a little deeper. _That is the sexiest sound I've ever heard._

"Geez, Liv, your hands are magical," Alex said, before realizing she'd said out loud what was meant to be just a thought. Olivia had so many quick responses to that statement, but she kept them to herself. She had to remind her self that Alex was just her friend. _That moan though, she's going to kill me with that sound._ Olivia felt a pulse in her core, and knew she needed to calm herself down. Breaking the contact between them, Olivia dropped the lotion down onto her towel and smiled.

"Come on! Last one in the water has to buy the squad coffee for a week!" she called, making her way down the beach. Alex sprinted after her and caught up right as a wave broke and splashed both of them. Olivia threw her head back and laughed as the water soaked her body, and Alex was mesmerized by how stunning the woman looked. She hadn't seen Olivia genuinely laugh like that in a long time.

"Are you a good swimmer?" Olivia asked, eyeing the small island not too far out.

"I am. I should probably tell you, I was on swim team for all of high school and college," Alex gloated.

"Good! Then you won't have a problem keeping up!" she challenged. Olivia dove under an incoming wave and started swimming towards the island. Alex watched her for a moment, admiring her skill and athleticism. Eager to show off, Alex swam after her. Olivia was a little surprised when she saw Alex swim past her, but she was even more surprised when Alex left her in the dust and got to the island nearly a minute before her. She was standing on the beach, waiting when Olivia finished the trek through the water.

"Better late than never, Detective," Alex joked. Olivia stepped into the beach and turned to stand next to the blonde. The view of the shoreline from the little island was incredible. "Isn't it gorgeous?" Alex asked. Olivia nodded, taking in how lovely the sky looked behind the silhouettes of sand dunes and rooftops. The sun was beginning to set, and Olivia couldn't help but notice that Alex was starting to shiver.

"The tide is low enough for us to follow the sandbar back," she noticed, "let's go back and get our towels. You look a little cold," she remarked.

"Good idea. With the sun going down, it's a little chilly," Alex agreed. The two walked and talked for a while as they made their way across the sandbar. At some point, their conversation ceased and they found themselves walking in silence, just enjoying the company. Olivia was surprised when she felt Alex's hand reach for hers. Alex looked at her and smiled, and Olivia noticed that the look in the blonde's eyes was different than usual, but she wasn't sure what exactly it meant. They walked together quietly, hand in hand, all the way back to their towels. Back on the beach, Olivia picked Alex's up, shook the sand off, and wrapped it around her.

"Thanks Liv, that's much better," Alex said, "Why don't I go start dinner while you take a shower? I'll shower after dinner, and you can sit by the fire pit and make sure it doesn't die down while I'm gone," Alex offered, pointing to a custom fire pit just a few yards towards the house.

"That sounds like a good plan," Olivia agreed. The two stopped on the deck to shake the sand off of their feet before going into the house. Olivia went right upstairs and grabbed some clean clothes, and proceeded to the bathroom. Once undressed, she started the shower and slid in, her skin tingling under the hot water. She sighed, relaxing. _Alex moaned while I was massaging her, and then she held my hand. What is happening?_ Olivia was replaying the day's events when she had a realization, unsure of how she didn't notice sooner; there was only one bedroom in the cottage, and that meant here was only one bed. _Maybe the couch pulls out? Surely Alex does not plan on us sharing a bed all weekend._ Olivia's daydreaming was abruptly interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Liv, it's me, I have sand in my contact and I need my glasses off of the bathroom counter," she called through the cracked door, "do you mind if I run in to get them?" she asked, desperation in her voice. Olivia looked around, and though the shower stall was glass, it was lightly fogged up, hopefully enough to cover her.

"Sure, but no peeking!" she flirted. Immediately, she regretted her boldness. What if Alex was just being friendly, and Olivia was reading too much into it? Alex scurried past the shower, over to the bathroom counter, and popped open the bottle of contact solution. She took both contacts out and put them into the solution. Blinking a few times, the stinging in her eye continued.

"Ow!" she mumbled, rubbing her eye. She put her glasses, on, blinked a few times, and gasped when looked up. In them mirror, she could see the reflection of Olivia, in the shower, lathering herself with soap. Suds ran down her breasts and collect around her nipples before the water washed them away.

"Lex, are you okay?" Olivia called, oblivious to the blonde's view.

"Uh, yes, I'm fine," Alex stuttered, "I think the sand scratched my eye, that's all. Nothing to worry about." Alex bolted from the bathroom. Once downstairs, she finished preparing dinner, while still thinking about Olivia in the shower. When she heard the water turn off upstairs, she set the table on the deck and uncorked a bottle of her favorite wine, pouring two glasses and placing them between the mason jar candles on the table.

"What smells so delicious?" Olivia asked as she joined Alex on the deck. Alex couldn't help but appreciate how sexy the brunette still looked, even when she was in her NYPD sweatpants and a tank top.

"My favorite beach house meal! Shrimp scampi, with garlic bread and caesar salad," Alex announced. Olivia sat down at the table, and glanced at the candles flickering. _This is kind of romantic._ She took a sip of the wine, glanced over at Alex, who was watching her, biting her lip. _Alex only bites her lip like that when she's nervous. She looks stunning in the glow of the candlelight._ Olivia took a bite of her food.

"Alex, this tastes even better than it smells!" she assured her, "I didn't know you could cook like this!" Alex was ecstatic that Olivia was enjoying the meal. As they ate, and drank, Alex told Olivia about how her father had taught her cook, and how her Mom taught her about a proper wine pairing. Olivia listed to every word Alex had to say. She wanted to know everything there was to know about the beautiful woman. When the meal was done, Alex insisted that Olivia stay on the deck while she cleared the table and started the fire. "I want you to relax, this weekend is about you taking it easy," Alex said. When the dishes were gone and the fire was going, Olivia relocated to the patio couches near the fire. Alex came down the deck stairs and handed her a blanket.

"Here, sometimes it can get too breezy down here," she said, unfolding the blanket over the brunette. She leaned over and hugged the woman from behind. "Don't go anywhere, I'm going to take a quick shower and then I'll be out to join you," she said quietly in the brunette's ear. Alex retreated back to the house to shower, leaving Olivia alone on the beach. Olivia watched the fire dance and crackle as the waves crashed in the background. _I see why this is Alex's favorite place. It's quickly becoming my favorite place too._

Alex returned shortly later, freshly showered, wearing boxer shorts and a white T-shirt. Olivia almost choked when she saw the blonde turn the corner from the stairs, carrying a thermos of tea and two mugs. She sat down next to Olivia on the couch, and poured the tea into the mugs. She handed one to Olivia, and then leaned back.

"My special blend," she informed her as the Detective took a sip. "Green tea with honey, lemon, and ginger." Olivia took another sip, and then realized it was 10pm and she was drinking green tea. _I'll never be able to sleep tonight anyway._ A slight breeze picked up and Alex shivered.

"You're cold," Olivia stated, pulling the blonde closer to her and covering her with the blanker. Alex cuddling up under Olivia's arm, and laid her head down on the brunette's shoulder. Olivia looked up at the stars, enjoying that the sky was clear enough to even see were impossible to see from the city. The two stayed that way for a while, cuddling under one blanket. Olivia hadn't realized that she'd started running her hand up and down Alex's arm. When she stopped, Alex nudged her hand.

"That was nice," Alex whispered. Another few minutes had passed, and neither of them had moved. Alex was overwhelmed by so many thoughts, like how right it felt to be laying there in Olivia's arms, and how badly she wanted to tell the woman how she felt, but was too scared to. Alex tried to fight back the tears, but her emotions got the best of her. Olivia would have been content to stay like that forever, but a drop of water landed on her leg, causing her to sit up a little. Alex sat up too, and turned away from her. Olivia held her hand out, and when she had come to the conclusion that it wasn't raining, she looked in Alex's direction.

"Alex, I'm sorry," she said, concerned that she'd made the blonde uncomfortable. Alex wiped her eyes, but still couldn't look at the woman next to her.

"No Liv it's not you, my damn eye hurts still," she lied. It didn't take a Detective to know that was a lie, but Olivia played along, taking the hint that Alex didn't want to talk about whatever was wrong. The fire had dulled and it was getting cold, so Olivia stood up and tossed the bucket of water over the ashes, and then held her hand out to help Alex up off of the couch.

"Let's go inside, and I'll help you flush your eye out, and then maybe we can watch a movie? If you can see with one good eye, that is." Alex laughed, accepting Olivia's hand. She always knew how to make her laugh. As they walked up the steps to the house, Alex still held on to Olivia's hand, and she didn't let go until they were standing in the kitchen and she had to use it to close and lock the door behind them. As soon as it was gone, Olivia felt herself missing Alex's hand in hers.

"I think my eye is fine," Alex said, "why don't you pick a movie and I'll make popcorn? Netflix is open on the laptop, and the black cord connects it to the TV," Alex explained. Olivia sat down in the living room and searched Netflix for a good movie. When she saw the movies in Alex's queue, she was slightly surprised that they were all titles she'd seen before. They were also all lesbian movies. _Why is Alex watching all lesbian movies? Wait…is this weekend…a date?_ Alex was returning from the kitchen, so quickly Olivia picked one of the movies from the queue and pressed play, plugging the cord in to the TV. Alex plopped down next to her on the couch and saw the title screen for the movie on her TV. She panicked for a minute, realizing that Olivia had seen her 'movies to watch list.'

"I picked my favorite movie, I hope that's okay," Olivia told her.

"If it's your favorite, I'll probably like it to," Alex assured her. She handed Olivia a bowl of popcorn. An hour later, they were engrossed in the movie. The bowls of popcorn had been moved to the side table, and the two women were sitting close on the couch. Slowly, Alex's hand crept across the couch cushion until if found Olivia's leg, where she rested it gently. Olivia got the goosebumps from Alex's touch, and when Alex was about to remove her hand, Olivia placed hers over the blonde's and laced their fingers together.

"Stay, please," she whispered. Alex cuddled in closer, and Olivia freed her hand from Alex's to wrap her arm around the her. They stayed just like that until the movie ended.

"Olivia, why is this your favorite movie?!" Alex questioned, wiping tears away. "It's sad! Simone and Annabelle are supposed to be together, and now they can't be?!" Olivia smiled at how worked up Alex was getting over he movie. Then she thought about why it was her favorite, and her mood shifted.

"It's my favorite," she explained, "because I can relate to the unrequited love in the beginning, and the love that she can't have in the end." Olivia looked at the floor.

"You've loved someone you couldn't have," Alex surmised.

"Yes," Olivia confirmed, "for a long time." Olivia was choking back tears.

"I know what it's like, Liv. Do you want to talk about it?" Alex offered, trying to comfort her friend. She did know what it was like, she knew all too well. She'd been in love with Olivia for years.

"I can't talk about it. It's too complicated, and too painful," Olivia said. Alex brushed the hair out of Olivia's face.

"Okay, you don't have to talk about it, but you do have to listen to me for a minute. Olivia, you are one of the most amazing people I've ever met. You're smart, you're beautiful, you're kind, whoever this guy, er, person, is," Alex corrected herself, "it's their loss. If they didn't see how incredible you are, then they certainly don't deserve you." Alex watched as the Detective let the tears fall. She wiped them away, and pulled the woman in close to her.

"She," Olivia mumbled.

"Huh?"

"She. It's a woman, the person I love but can't have." Olivia looked at Alex and waited for her reaction. Alex didn't let go of the brunette; instead she held her tighter.

"I thought so," she said. A few minutes later, Olivia broke from the embrace and excused herself to the bathroom. She splashed water on her face. _Pull yourself together, Benson. This is supposed to be a fun, relaxing weekend._ She took a few minutes to collect herself. When she got back to the living room, Alex was nowhere to be found. She checked the loft, but Alex wasn't there either. From the bedroom window, she spotted a shadow on the beach. She watched Alex kick sand and walk through the sea foam ripples. _I hope I didn't upset her. I should have told her sooner that I liked women. I'm her best friend._ _She's my best friend. I should have told her._ Olivia watched the blonde pace the beach for a moment before deciding she needed to explain herself, or at least apologize. She left the cottage and walked down the cold sand to where Alex was standing.

"Alex, I hope I didn't upset you. I should have told you, about me. I hope you don't think that today was about something else, I'm just comfortable around you, and, I mean Alex you're my best friend. I'd never do anything to risk losing that." Olivia was shaking, terrified that Alex was mad at her.

"Liv, it's okay. I already knew. And I should have asked you about it, but I didn't want to force you to tell me before you were ready," Alex confessed. She was disappointed to hear Olivia say that the day hadn't been about something else. Olivia wasn't interested her after all.

"How did you know?" Olivia wondered. Alex shifted awkwardly,

"I knew," she took a deep breath before continuing, "because a few months ago, I was at the club; Serena convinced me to go with her because according to her, I need to 'get back in the saddle.' You were there. I left before you saw me."

"She took you to a lesbian bar to get you back in the saddle?" Olivia questioned. "Wait, you're friends with Serena?" Olivia didn't know which part of Olivia's statement to address first. She was secretly praying that Serena hadn't disclosed to Alex anything about their past.

"Yes, Serena and I are old friends from her days on the force. She took me to a lesbian bar to get me back in the saddle because it's been years since I seriously dated anyone. It's hard to meet women with my schedule, so on my night off, we went out." Alex froze, waiting for Olivia's response. Olivia had a few thousand thoughts circling around in her head.

"How did Serena know before me?" Olivia asked first.

"She saw me on a date a few years ago," Alex told her. Olivia sighed in relief. At least they hadn't both slept with the same woman.

"Lex, you know that you could have told me, right?," Olivia said. Alex smiled, somewhat relieved that their sexualities were no longer a secret. Olivia began to wonder about the day they'd had. _What does Alex want? Just friendship? I just told her today wasn't about something else, but it was, at least for me. What if it was for her too? Crap._

"I know. I was just nervous," Alex replied. She stepped forward and hugged Olivia, staying there in her arms.

"Alex, today was perfect. I can't wait to see what you have in store for us tomorrow," Olivia said. Alex smiled, glad that the tension between them was gone.

"You'll just have to wait and see, Detective," she countered. "I think we should get to sleep soon, if we're going to stick to my plan for tomorrow, we have to be up by 8am!" They raced back to the cottage, and though Olivia was there first, she waited on the deck for Alex. Olivia slid open the door, and as Alex stepped into the house, she turned and placed a small peck on Olivia's cheek.

"And they say chivalry is dead!" she mused. Once they were inside, Olivia was pouring them two glasses of water when she had another moment of panic. The couch definitely wasn't a fold out. _Does Alex still want to share a bed with me?_

Olivia went upstairs and put Alex's water on the nightstand, keeping hers in her hand. Alex came out of the bathroom from brushing her teeth, and pointed to a stack of pillows on the chair. "I don't know how many pillows you sleep with, so I left some extras on your side."

"Alex, I can sleep on the couch, it's not a problem at all," Olivia fumbled.

"Nonsense, Benson. We're both adults. We can certainly share a bed without any funny business, can't we?" Alex joked.

"You're right," Olivia agreed. _Easier said then done._ Both women got into bed, and Alex reached up to turn off the light.

"Goodnight, Counsellor," Olivia whispered.

"Goodnight, Detective," Alex responded. As she closed her eyes, a flashback to Olivia in the shower crossed her mind, and she smiled to herself in the dark.


	2. Chapter 2

Rays of sunshine cascaded through the blinds and kindly woke Alex out of the best night of sleep she'd had in quite a long time. She sat up in the bed and felt the nightstand for her glasses. As she put her glasses on, she noticed the smell of coffee had drifted up from the kitchen. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and saw a sticky note on the table. 'Good Morning, Sleepyhead. Coffee is on downstairs.' _I could get used to this, too bad she isn't interested._ She grabbed her sweatshirt off of a chair and pulled it over her head as she quietly snuck downstairs to go find Olivia. There was a hot pot of coffee on the counter, along with another note. 'Breakfast is on the deck this morning.' She poured herself a cup of coffee, and strolled over to the door. There, on the deck, was Olivia, wrapped in a house robe, sipping coffee. The wind was lightly tossing her hair around, and her sun kissed skin was glowing in the morning light. _Absolutely stunning._ Alex stood there for a minute, just taking in the sight of the beautiful woman. She slipped out the door and came up behind the brunette, wrapping her arm around her.

"Good Morning, Detective," she flirted. She sat down at the table next to Olivia.

"Well Good Morning to you too, Alex," she responded, smiling at the gorgeous blonde. "Nice sweatshirt!" Alex looked down, and laughed nervously as she realized she was wearing Olivia's NYPD sweatshirt, not her own.

"Oops! Sorry Liv, I must have grabbed the wrong one! It was before I had coffee," she joked. Olivia smiled at her.

"Lex, it's alright. I like you in my clothes," she stated. Alex laughed, nearly spewing coffee and shooting the brunette a look. "Oh, wow, that came out wrong," Olivia corrected, "I meant you look good in my sweatshirt." She was bright red and eager to change the subject, so she uncovered the platter in the center of the table, revealing plates fresh cut fruit, blueberry muffins, and bacon. "Breakfast?" she blurted, pointing to the table. Alex was still laughing, but tried to put on a serious face.

"Olivia, how did you get this all done before 7am?!" she asked, admiring the beautiful breakfast spread before her. She'd even cut the fruit into cute little shapes, like watermelon hearts and cantaloupe flowers.

"I couldn't sleep, so I thought I'd at least be productive," she explained. Alex spread butter on to one of the blueberry muffins as she wondered why Olivia hadn't slept.

"You must be exhausted! We can take it easy today if you want, we don't have to stick to the plan," she offered. Olivia shook her head in protest.

"I slept, I just woke up early. Sometimes when I have a lot on my mind, I get up early and run through Central Park to clear my head. This morning I ran the shoreline and watched your neighbors catch some waves. One even offered to teach me how to surf sometime. He's very nice!" Olivia told her.

"You met Connor! That's my cousin. He's the only one in the family who knows about…me. He's my favorite. We're close in age so we basically grew up together," she explained. Suddenly something clicked in Olivia's mind. _Is that why he looked me up and down when I told him I was a New York SVU Detective? Does he know about me?_

"Well, he invited me to join him tomorrow morning for a lesson, is that okay?" Olivia inquired.

"Of course!" Alex told her, making a mental note to send Connor a text message to behave and keep this mouth shut. Alex finished up breakfast and remembered that they had a schedule to stick to if she wanted the day to go as planned. "Should we clean up and go get ready?"

"Yes! What should I bring? And what should I wear?" Olivia asked, curious as to what their plans were going to be. Alex smirked as though she was proud of herself.

"Wear your bathing suit with something over it, and bring a change of dry clothes and a sweatshirt," Alex said as she carried the dishes into the house. Olivia was left wondering what exactly the ADA was up to. _Whatever it is, it's with Alex, so I'm in._

Half an hour later, both women were changed and ready to go. As Alex was double checking to make sure she had everything, a horn sounded in the driveway. Olivia almost jumped at he unexpected noise, but Alex smiled and opened the front door, waving at a man in the front of the car. "Ready?" she asked, "that's our ride!"

The car was almost as impressive as Alex's. The man inside the '56 Chevy Bel Air got out as Alex went running towards him. She gave him a huge hug, and he stepped back and looked at her, shaking his head. "Ed, it's great to see you!" she said.

"Alexandra, you get more and more beautiful every time I see you," he complimented, "what on earth are you up to these days?"

"The usual," she responded, "work, work, and more work." She turned towards Olivia, motioning for her to join them. "Ed, this is Detective Olivia Benson, my dearest friend and the best detective in SVU," she introduced them, "Olivia, this is Edward Cabot, my Uncle." Ed hugged Olivia, and winked at Alex when Olivia couldn't see him.

"Ms. Benson, we've heard a lot about you over the years!" he told her, smiling.

"Please, call me Olivia, Ms. Benson makes me feel old," she joked.

"A sense of humor! I can see why you like her so much, Alex!" he responded. Alex gave him a quick look, and he turned towards the car, opening the door for the women. "Shall we? I don't want you two to be late." The woman got in to the back seat of the car, and immediately Olivia was busy appreciating the complete restoration for the original interior.

"Ed, this car is gorgeous! Did you do all of the work yourself?" she asked, genuinely interested in the vintage model.

"I did, and my son Connor helped me. I'm teaching him the ropes, though he'd rather be off galavanting around the beach," he told her.

"Connor? I met him this morning on the beach! You have a very nice son," she said.

"Thank you! So how long are you two here for?" he wondered.

"Just until Sunday," Olivia replied, "Alex brought me down for a weekend after I had an awful week at work."

"Well then you'll join us tomorrow for brunch, won't you? It's a Sunday tradition," he invited. Olivia looked at Alex, unsure of her plans. Alex nodded.

"We'd love to!" Olivia accepted. Alex smiled, watching two of her favorite people getting along. They made small talk for a few more minutes until the car turned into a parking lot and came to a stop at the end of a small pier. Alex got out of the car, holding the door open for Olivia. She leaned through the front window and thanked Ed, confirming their pickup time for that evening.

"Have fun, ladies!" he called as he drove away. Alex led Olivia down the dock, and stopped in front of what Olivia would describe as a small yacht. She opened the gate to the ramp, and Olivia followed Alex up onto the boat.

"Welcome aboard, Liv!" she exclaimed as they stepped onto the deck.

"I don't even know that to say, Alex!" Olivia was speechless; she had never seen such an extravagant vessel, let alone been aboard one. Alex showed Olivia around, telling her all about the boat's history. The brunette was impressed. The boat had it's own kitchen, and a private bar on the ship deck. As they were coming back up from the second level, two men boarded the ship.

"Jim! Mark!" she shouted, waving at them.

"Alexandra, you made it before us" Mark stated, giving her hug.

"It's so good you see you, Lexi," Jim said, shaking her hand and kissing her cheek.

'Olivia, this is Captain Mark McEntire, our captain for the day, and Chef Jim Dion, who makes the best food you'll ever have in your life," she told her. "Gentlemen, this is Olivia Benson, NYPD." Olivia shook both of their hands.

"We'd love to stay and catch up, but we have to get to work, so you two relax, we'll be out of port in just a few minutes," Mark said, before the two men disappeared and got to work.

Alex walked over to the bar, and stepped behind it. She picked up a shaker, and motioned for Olivia to sit down. The brunette climbed up onto the stool, and giggled at Alex, who was leaning over the bar like a seasoned bartender, ready to shake a drink like a pro.

"What'll it be, Detective?" she mused, playing bartender.

"Whatever you're drinking," Olivia requested.

"Two cucumber melon martini's, coming right up!" Alex expertly poured the drinks, garnishing the rims with slices of cucumber, before handing Olivia hers. "Join me on the front deck?" She took Olivia's free hand in hers and led her to the upper deck, where there was a table set with a tray of fancy cheeses, crackers, and fruit. "Help yourself, I had Jim select some of his favorites for us to try." The two snacked on the platter as the boat pulled out of he harbor. Once they were in open waters, a voice came over the speaker system.

"Lexi, no more drinks until after your first stop! I don't allow drunk driving on my ship!" he announced. Olivia looked at Alex, confused.

"You'll see," Alex said, grinning. About a half an hour later, the boat had slowed down just off of the coastline, and the two heard the anchor chain release. "We're here!" Alex exclaimed, standing up and taking her tank top and skirt off, revealing a bikini that Olivia hadn't seen yet. Alex's suit barely covered anything at all, and Olivia couldn't take her eyes off of the blonde as she removed her own clothes. She had stuck with the black bikini from the beach, as she liked the way Alex approved of it. Alex climbed down the stairs at the back of the boat, where Mark was waiting for them, next to a jet ski. _Alex really thought this day out, didn't she?_ Olivia was pretty excited. He handed the two women life jackets.

"Safety first," he said.

"Liv, have you ever driven one before?" Alex asked.

"Never, I've never been one!" she confessed.

"Okay, then I'll drive first. You have to hold on to me, okay?" she said, stepping onto the jet ski and straddling the seat. Olivia did the same, sitting behind her. "Liv, you're going to have to wrap your arms around me. Don't let go, got it?" Olivia smiled. _Never._

"I got it," she confirmed.

"Alright, you ladies have an hour before we have to move, so go have fun!" he said, pushing the ski away from the boat. Once they had floated a few yards from the boat, Alex started the jet ski, and turned her head to talk.

"Remember, don't let go!" she shouted over the engine. Olivia gripped the blonde a little tighter, and Alex revved the motor. The jet ski was gliding effortlessly over the small waves, and every time water splashed up at them, Alex would giggle. Olivia was completely smitten with that sound. They rode back and forth up the shoreline for a few minutes before Alex slowed down and killed the engine. She hopped off the ski and into the water.

"You're turn!" she said, "scoot up!" Olivia moved forwards, grabbing the handles. Alex pulled herself back onto the ski, settling in behind Olivia. She reached forwards, placing her hands over Olivia's. Tapping her right hand, she instructed the brunette.

"This is the throttle," she explained. "It doesn't take a lot to get going, so ease into it like a car. One hand on the handles at all times. This," she pointed, "is the kill switch. And the black switch is the ignition." Olivia nodded, and repeated exactly what Alex had told her.

"You got it!" Alex said, wrapping her arms around Olivia's waist. "Have fun," she whispered in Olivia's ear. Olivia started the ski back up, and off they went. Olivia was having a blast; Alex could tell by the way the detective was smiling and laughing. Before they knew it, the boat horn had sounded, letting the two know that it was time to come back in. Olivia killed the engine a few yards from the boat, and Mark threw a rope to Alex to tow them back in. He held out his hand to keep them from falling as they boarded the boat again.

"That's the most fun I've had in years!" Olivia said, "Thank you!"

"I'm glad you had fun," Mark said. "Lunch is ready on the upper deck, Jim is waiting for you." The two women dried off while Mark secured the ski, and then they headed back up the stairs. Jim had reset the table for lunch, and Olivia's mouth was watering the moment she saw what he had prepared for them.

"Ladies, welcome back!" he greeted them, "please, take a seat, and enjoy your appetizer while I go and finish the entree." A lovely display of shrimp cocktail was in the center of the table, accompanied by two salads, and two glasses of champaign.

"Alex, I cannot believe you planned all of this. I've never had a day like this," Olivia told her. _I cannot imagine living like this, it's amazing. Alex is so incredible._

"I had some help in pulling it off, but I wanted the weekend to be memorable," Alex replied. "I'm really glad you're enjoying it." The talked casually as they enjoyed the lunch that Jim served. Alex told Olivia more about her family. Olivia could listen to the blonde talk for hours. When lunch was over, Jim suggested they move to the front deck. Alex smirked, and nodded. Olivia looked at the pair, questioningly. She followed Alex to the upper deck where there was a cushioned platform-type couch under a tropical cabana roof.

"This is my favorite place on the boat," she told the brunette. "It's cozy and romantic." Olivia blushed as soon as the words left Alex's mouth. Alex sat down and Olivia climbed up next to her. Jim appeared with a tray, and set it down on the platform in front of them. Alex thanked him before he was gone. When Olivia saw the contents of the tray, her heart skipped a few beats. It was holding champaign flutes, each containing a floating strawberry heart. Next to those were a dozen chocolate covered strawberries.

"Cabot, are you trying to romance me?" Olivia joked.

"Maybe I am," Alex shot back. _What?_ Olivia looked at Alex, who suddenly had a terrified expression on her face.

"Alex, I…" Olivia started.

"Oh god, I'm sorry Liv," Alex interrupted, panicking. "I thought maybe…god I'm so stupid."

"Alex!" Olivia said, demanding her attention, "let me finish." Olivia leaned forward until she was only a few inches from Alex. "You don't need to do all this to romance me, you know," she whispered. Alex leaned forward, closing the space between them, but hesitating a moment. Before she knew what was happening, Olivia's lips were on hers. Alex melted into Olivia's kiss. Olivia was completely lost in Alex. The blonde let a moan escape her when she granted Olivia's tongue access to hers. Olivia pulled away to catch her breath, and noticed tears forming in Alex's eyes. She leaned back towards Alex and whispered in her ear. "I never want to stop kissing you." Reassured, Alex initiated another kiss, deeper and more passionate than the last. When they finally broke apart, neither of the women could stop smiling. Olivia took the champaign glasses and handed one to Alex. "To new beginnings," she toasted. Alex plucked a strawberry off the plate, and fed it to Olivia. They moved in closer together, and spent the remainder of the boat ride back to the harbor kissing, talking, and kissing some more.

When the boat was docked again, they said their goodbyes to Mark and Jim, and walked back to the car that was waiting for them. Behind them, the men high fived each other, grinning in success. "I think it worked!" Mark celebrated.

"How as the boat?" Ed called, as they approached the car. The two women slid into the back seat, and told Ed about their day. Olivia slid her hand across the seat between them, and Alex met her half way. They laced their fingers together. The car ride to the house was quiet; Ed flipped through radio stations as the two women were lost in their own thoughts. Ed dropped them off in front of the cottage, confirmed their brunch plans for the next day, and then left them to enjoy the rest of their evening.

Alex unlocked the door, stepped into the cottage, and closed the door once Olivia was inside. She turned towards the brunette, and pushed her back against the door. When their lips met, Olivia's knees nearly went weak.

"That was the longest car ride ever, not being able to kiss you!" Olivia confessed. Alex blushed, and laid her head on Olivia's shoulder. The two women remained in the embrace for minutes, until Alex moved back, looking into Olivia's eyes.

"Come on," she whispered, "the day isn't over yet." Alex grabbed Olivia's hand and the two headed off towards the beach. From the deck, Olivia was taking in the sunset while Alex was rummaging through the weathered steamer trunk in the corner. "Found it!" she shouted, pulling a blanket out of the trunk. She headed down the stairs, turning around to make sure Olivia was close behind her. Half way down the beach, she spread the blanket over the sand, and sat down. The brunette did the same, positioning herself behind Alex, and wrapping her arms around the blonde. Alex leaned back into Olivia, and couldn't help but notice the warmth between Olivia's legs. They stayed quiet for a while, gazing at the stars and listening to the waves. Olivia was the first to break the silence.

"What are you thinking about?" she inquired.

"Honestly?" Alex asked.

"Always, you don't have to filter yourself around me, Lex." Olivia held the blonde tighter, reassuring her that she wasn't going anywhere.

"I was thinking about how long I've wanted this, how badly I've wanted this, and now that it's happening, I don't want it to ever end. I've dreamed of these moments for years, but I never thought it'd happen. You are so perfect," Alex told her.

"Alex, this doesn't have to end if you don't want it to. You've been the one, ever since you walked into 1PP on your first day as SVU's ADA. You smiled at me and that was it. I settled for friendship because I didn't know you wanted more. If I'd known, I would have said something a long, long time ago. It's always been you for me, Lex," Olivia confessed. Alex turned to face the brunette, and kissed her differently than before. This kiss was gentle, passionate, slow.

"I love you, Olivia," Alex whispered, "I don't just love you, I am in love with you." Olivia's heart stopped. She brushed the hair away from Alex's face, and looked deep into her eyes.

"I love you too, Alex. And I have been in love with you for longer than you'll ever know." It was then that Alex realized why Olivia had been so upset during the movie. She was the woman Olivia thought she couldn't have. Alex cuddled into the brunettes arms, and neither of the moved until the sun had gone down the the night chill crept up on them.

"It's a little chilly, shall we go inside?" Alex asked.

"Yes, let's." Olivia stood up, reached for Alex's hand, and helped her up off the blanket. They walked back to the house holding hands, stopping a few times to kiss. Alex dropped the blanket on one of the deck chairs, and the two went inside. Alex was at the sink getting a glass of water, when Olivia came up behind her and wrapped her arms around the blondes' waist.

"I'm going to take a shower, do you want to join me?" she whispered. Alex shivered, and instantly the familiar pulse in her core was back.

"Mhmm, I could never say no to that," she said, turning to face the brunette. Olivia kissed Alex's neck, and the blonde tugged at Olivia's shirt. Olivia leaned back and allowed Alex to lift her shirt up and over her head, revealing her bikini top. As they moved into the hall, Olivia managed to get Alex's shirt and skirt off. By the time they reached the stairs, they were both down to their skimpy bikinis. The two woman made their way up the stairs. Alex was first to the bathroom, and she turned the water on to warm up, before turning around to face Olivia. Pulling the brunette close to her, she reached behind her and tugged on the strings to Olivia's top. Chills shot down Olivia's back, and she nervously shifted her arms to allow the top to fall to the ground. Alex pushed her back against the counter, kissing her. When she had Olivia right where she wanted her, she slowly kissed a trail from Olivia's lips, down her neck, and continued until she reached one of the brunette's hard nipples. Olivia moaned and leaned back when she felt Alex begin to flick her sensitive nipples with her tongue. Determined to feel Alex against her, Olivia quickly undid the clasp on Alex's bikini top, and it landed on the floor next to hers.

"You are so beautiful," Olivia whispered in the blonde's ear. Alex pushed closer to her. Their lips met again, and now that there was skin on skin contact, she couldn't help herself. Alex traced the inside of Olivia's thigh with her fingers, stopping just before her bikini line.

"Shower's warm," she whispered, removing her bikini bottom and stepping into the shower.

"Tease!" Olivia joked, removing her bottoms as well and sliding into the shower behind the blonde.


End file.
